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W. P. RETTBERG AND W. L. LANGE.

BANJO AND SIMILAR STRINGED INSTRUMENT.

7 APPLICATION F|LED JAN. 22. 1915.

1,312,209. Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. P. RETTBERG AND W. L. L AN'GE.

BANJO AND SIMILAR STRINGED INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED 11m. 22. I916.

1,312,209. Patented Aug. 5, 1919. Y

,2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Tm: COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. RETTBERG AND WILLIAM L. LANGE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BANJO AND SIMILAR STRINGED INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

Application filed January 22, 1916. Serial No. 73,510.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, WILLIAM P. RETT- BERG and WILLIAM L. LANGE, citizens of the United States, and residents of New York city, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Banjos and Similar Stringed Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to banjos, banjo mandolins and similar stringed instruments which use a membrane mounted on a ring as a sounding element.

One object of our invention is to provide an instrument in which the membrane and its supporting ring may be moved or adjusted bodily relative to the fingerboard of the instrument by means of which the strings may be adjusted at the proper height above the fingerboard and also to provide a means whereby bridges of different height may be used by simply changing the adjustment or position of the relative parts.

A further object is to provide a frame embodying a resonator chamber which is formed with the neck directly connected thereto, and having a removable back to permit same to be removed in order to easily operate the adjustment screws which regulate the height of the membrane relative to the fingerboard.

The further objects and advantages will more fully appear from the detailed description and the features of novelty will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings which form a part of this specification,

Figure l is a plan view of an instrument embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is an inverted view of Fig. 1 with a portion of the bottom of the resonator chamber broken away.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on a median line through the resonating chamber and parts supported therein.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 47-4: of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 1.

A indicates the outer casing, B the neck which is fastened to the said casing at B, and C indicates the fingerboard which is mounted on the neck in the usual manner.

D indicates the head and E the ring on which it is mounted. F, F, etc., indicate the side rods by means of which the head is held to the ring E in the usual manner and its tension adjusted by the use of the nuts F, which are reached by removing the bottom G of-the resonating chamber H.

F astened rigidly to the neck B is a wooden bar I which extends across the resonating chamber H and connects with the casing A at A. This bar serves to brace the casing ring and also to hold the bottom G in position through the instrumentality of the nut and bolt J.

The ring E is held to the casing in any desired position by metal brackets K which are attached firmly to the casing ring by screws L. The lower ends of these brackets project into the resonating chamber and are bifurcated at K. Bolts M also engage screw threads formed in the brackets N, which are secured to the ring E. Therefore, by turning the bolts M one turn, the ring E may be raised or lowered the distance of the pitch of the thread.

It is obvious that the ring E can be raised or lowered evenly, or tilted, and thereby the adjustment of the strings relative to the fingerboard may be made with bridges of different heights and also the pressure on the bridge caused by the strings can be regulated until the best tone quality is secured. The resonating chamber is inclosed within the comparatively thick wall and bottom of the latter. Its operation is thus free from the effects of vibrations that may be set up and imposed thereon by the thin walls of the usual banjo construction, and the vibrations of the strings are further not deadened by the mufliing effect had when the ordinary thin walled instrument having no separate resonating chamber rests against the player. The ring, in the present construction, is furthermore protected by the casing.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A banjo comprising a casing having a neck and fingerboard rigidly connected thereto, an inner frame comprising a ring, a membrane stretched on said ring and attached thereto, said inner frame being supported in adjustable relation to the casing and fingerboard.

2. A banjo comprising a casing having a closed bottom and a neck and fingerboard rigidly connected thereto, an inner frame comprising a ring, a membrane stretched on said ring and attached thereto, said inner frame being supported in adjustable relation to the casing and fingerboard.

3. A banjo compmsing a casing having a removable bottom and forming a resonating chamber which is open at the top side and having a neck and fingerboard rigidly connected thereto, an inner frame comprising a ring within said casing, a membrane stretched on said ring and attached thereto, and means for adjusting said frame and membrane relative to said fingerboard.

4. A banjo comprising casing having a neck and fingerboard connected thereto, and an inner frame of considerably smaller diameter adjustably supported therein whereby the inner frame may be raised or lowered to adjust the strings of the instrument .relative to the fingerboard.

5. A banjo comprising a casing having a neck and fingerboard connected thereto, an

inner frame carrying a membrane, said frame being supported in said casing by a series of brackets attached to said casing and a corresponding series of brackets connected Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents to the frame in cooperative relation to said first mentioned brackets, one series of brackets being provided with threaded apertures and screws threaded therein to engage with the brackets in the other series to adjust the relative position of the frame to the casing.

6. A banjo comprising a casing having a neck and fingerboard connected thereto, a membrane, a frame to carry said membrane within said casing, bracket-s attached to the casing adapted to support said frame, a bottom for said casing and said frame, a bar extending from said neck across the casing to brace the same and the bottom, and means extending through said bottom and connected to said bar to removably hold the bottom to the casing.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New 24th day of November, A. D. 1915.

WILLIAM P. RETTBERG. WM. L. LANGE.

Witnesses:

RICHARD N. Co'I'rER, J. L. PARKER.

each, by addressing the Commissioner of Yatents,

Washington, D. G.

York, and State of New York, this 

